
09/02/2025
Charles Dowding is widely recognized as the guru of “no-dig gardening” method. Today’s story is written by Charles Dowding to share the techniques of no-dig gardening with our readers!
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My mission, no dig for easier growing
I've been growing organic vegetables for sale since 1983, no dig. The method is simple yet intensive, with 2 to 3 cm new compost on every bed once a year, and 2 cm new woodchip on every path.
Beds are 1.2 m wide and paths are 40 cm wide, with no wood sides. This reduces cost, and slugs. I keep the plot edges tidy by regular mowing, and use a half moon edger to maintain a clean boundary.
Weeds are few and new seeds blowing in are mostly dandelions. We pull new w**ds by hand or by hoeing. Weeds are healers of the damage caused by cultivations, but no dig keeps soil in a calm and healthy state which results in less w**d growth.
How plants feed
Most beds are planted twice every year and some three times, without addition of new compost in summer. I use no feeds or fertilisers, because inhibit microbial activity,
Plant roots find food by a trade of sugars to soil microbes, which in exchange bring nutrients and moisture. The sugars are carbon compounds created through photosynthesis. Sun energy drives everything, and in that sense, vegetables are cover crops because their leaf photosynthesis adds carbon to soil. I do not grow cover crops in winter because there is so little sunshine or warmth.
Making compost
Compost helps achieve strong growth, whether no dig or digging. My trial beds show that yields are 11% higher with no dig since 2013, for the same amount of compost applied.
All garden and kitchen wastes can go in a compost heap, including w**ds and their roots, manure of domestic animals, diseased materials including powdery mildew and late blight, plus other wastes you scrounge.
I trial different types and sizes of compost heap. Best results are from the cheapest and easiest method: attach four pallets together using two wires on each corner. They sit on soil and w**ds, either in shade or sunshine.
Line the inside of each pallet with cardboard to maintain warmth and moisture. You can make great compost without heaps getting hot, but heat speeds decomposition, and reduces w**d seeds.
Audience social, books, talks, courses
I spend half my time gardening and the other half teaching, by writing, lecturing, videos and giving courses. I employ a full time gardener, grow £40,000 of food each year, the garden takes 110 hours each week from March to October.
My social media reaches millions: I run busy pages on Instagram and Facebook, with posts by myself, and make videos for my YouTube channel. I’m also on TikTok, Pinterest and Substack.
I've written 16 books and publish every year a calendar of sowing dates. I travel worldwide to teach in different places but my favourite place to be is in the wonderful garden at Homeacres where the energy is amazing.e